Shopping in Turkey: Souvenirs You Must Buy

Shopping in Turkey is a pleasure you must try at least once. You can lose yourself in the narrow alleyways of bazaars from Istanbul to Bodrum and spend many happy hours browsing for souvenirs that will allow you to have a little bit of ‘Turkey’ in your own home. Here are some items you simply must buy.

No trip to Turkey is quite complete without buying a traditionally crafted Turkish carpet Rugs. Carpet and Rug making is an ancient Anatolian craft and Turkish carpets are either double – knotted Kilims or flat woven. Hand-made carpets are an original, one-off work of art and will be a glorious decorative addition to any home. So have fun visiting the carpet stalls searching for a colourful carpet you love. Try at least three stalls and enjoy the whole process of buying, which involves bartering with the stallholder to agree on a fair price.

Turkish delight or Lokum is a delicious soft gel sweet which comes in a range of flavours and colours. With the introduction of sugar to Turkey in the 18th century came a new era of confectionary as Turkish delight was created in the kitchens of the Ottoman court. An old Turkish adage says, “Eat sweetly and speak sweetly” and the gentle flavours of rosewater, Bergamot orange or lemon definitely sweeten the breath. It is beautifully presented in dainty cubes of deliciousness dusted with icing sugar and makes a perfect gift if you can stop yourself eating it on the plane.

Traditional Turkish drink sometimes called Lion’s Milk due it turning a milky white when water is added. Raki is a distilled alcoholic drink made from fruit and flavoured with aniseed. Different fruits are used depending on the region where it is made but grapes, figs and plums are most commonly used. There are many rituals associated with drinking Raki but what is most important is what it is drunk with. It can be drunk as a cocktail but mostly it is consumed with cold ‘Meze’, such as tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, fish and seafood. Buy a few bottles to take home to bring the flavours of Turkey home with you.

In order to protect yourself from evil looks, those jealous of your tan, when you get home why not purchase an Evil Eye Pendant. You will see this symbol everywhere in Turkey as it is believed to ward off Evil and negative energy from individuals and places, which is why you will see it on people and in houses and offices. The Turkish Evil Eye or Nazar Boncugu is a blue bead made of molten glass, iron, copper, water and salt with a dark eye at the centre. In Turkey and many Mediterranean countries the colour blue is thought to have protective powers which is why so many front doors are painted blue.

Turkey has a long tradition of producing high quality leather goods and is a leading place in Europe to buy leather products such as jackets, shoes, belts, handbags, purses and wallets. Turkey is known for the quality and craftsmanship of its leather products. Treat yourself to a custom made garment or buy beautifully crafted purses and wallets as gifts.

The variety of jewellery available is staggering and you will find it in any bazaar in any town in Turkey. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul has several streets purely devoted to Jewellery. You can find copies of designs from the Ottoman Empire using gold, diamonds, rubies and other precious stones next to modern pieces in gold, silver and precious stones. If you love big, bold necklaces, brooches and rings then you will be in heaven.